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Bakersfield Drops Ontario, 5-3

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? The Ontario Reign, proud affiliate of the NHL Los Angeles Kings and AHL Manchester Monarchs, was defeated by the Bakersfield Condors, 5-3, Friday evening before a crowd of 5,525 at Rabobank Arena.

Bakersfield right wing Mike Wirll opened up scoring in the match at 6:33 in the first period. Forward Andrew Ianiero fed a pass to Wirll, who fired the puck past Ontario netminder Kellen Briggs to give the Condors a 1-0 lead. Defenseman Scott Balan also registered an assist on the goal.

Ontario answered back at 9:53, when right wing Jon Rheault took advantage of a Bakersfield interference minor and buried the puck behind Condors goaltender Yutaka Fukufuji. Left wing Ryan MacGregor and centBAK Rheault.jpger Jon Francisco registered assists on the power play goal, and the score was tied at 1. Less than three minutes later, forward Matt Pope put the Condors ahead, 2-1, with a power play goal off assists from left wing Mark Derlago and defenseman Donny Grover. The Reign tied up the g ame, 2-2, to close out the first period when left wing Todd Jackson fed the puck to defenseman Shawn Germain, who fired it past Fukufuji. Germain?s shorthanded goal came at 17:38, and both teams headed into the second period looking for the go-ahead goal.

Bakersfield?s Mike Wirll scored the go-ahead goal and his second of the night at 4:39 in the second period, off a pass from Andrew Ianiero, who also notched his second point of the game. Wirll beat Briggs through the five hole, and the Condors took a 3-2 lead. At 13:03, center Dave Bonk slipped a backhanded feed under an Ontario defenseman?s stick and over to right wing Chad Painchaud, who sent the puck into the top shelf behind Briggs. Mark Derlago registered the secondary assist on the goal, and the Condors extended their lead, 4-2. With 15 seconds remaining in the second period, Bakersfield scored their third unanswered goal and brought the score to 5-2. During a shorthanded shift, Matt Pope sent a no-look centering feed to Chad Painchaud, who wristed the puck past Briggs. Donny Grover registered an assist on the shorthanded goal, and the Condors took their three-point lead into the third period.

Defenseman P.J. Atherton reduced Bakersfield?s lead to two goals during a power play when he launched a one-timer from the point that blazed past Fukufuji at 3:23 in the third. Jon Rheault registered an assist and his second point of the match, while defenseman Andrew Martens was credited with the secondary assist.

The Reign was unable to find the back of the net for the remainder of the match, and the Condors picked up the win with a final score of Bakersfield 5, Ontario 3.